KVMR Podcasts

23 April 2014

Listen in as Meri St. Mary talks with Keith Levene: founding member of The Clash & The Flowers of Romance (w/pre Sex Pistols Sid Vicious) but most notably for his legendary guitar work (& co founder) in the groundbreaking Public Image Limited AKA PiL with John Lydon, Jah Wobble & Martin Atkins. PiL put out 3 records together as well as live shows from 1978-1983 that inspired a whole generation & beyond. Keith’s humor & intelligence shine through in this phone interview from his hometown of London where he is surrounded by close family, artists, teachers, books & his studio while focusing predominately on the current crowd funding project on Indiegogo for what was to be PiL’s 4th album Commercial Zone 2014. He has some great stories about the final recording in NYC the “this is what you didn’t want, but what you got” fiasco, wonderful quotes with regards to “doing things that DON’T SUCK”, wisdom of this getting older business, the Veleno guitar guy story & as a self taught multi-instrumentalist (& true spirit of punk) the great line: “who cares – it’s metal, I’m getting it”. There are loads of cool perks to getting involved in The CZ2014 Campaign so check it out, get involved & have some fun with it as Keith prepares to deliver the purest vision w/original & proper PiL ethos, an unfinished business that has to be done & he is the one to do it….not so much to set the record straight but to get the right record out 30 years later with as many years of composition. As Keith explains: “PiL was my Purpose In Life, but at the end of the day, what else do you have but your principles?” So get on the Indiegogo tip & support The CZ2014 Campaign while you can….the clock is ticking & as soon as the campaign is done, Keith can get back to composing….....he’s a lucky guy & so are we to have him share his vision: music, art & words with us all……now go check out CZ2014 & get out of it what you put into it!!!!!